George Clooney's wife has seen off competition from Taylor Swift and Scarlett Johansson to be named Barbara Walters' Most Fascinating Person of 2014.
British human rights lawyer Amal Clooney has topped the TV personality's annual list of influential people, with Walters likening her to timeless beauties including late British royal Diana, Princess of Wales and Jackie Kennedy.
Walters says, "What does it take to fascinate one of the most fascinating men in the world? She is known primarily through her spouse and while we know little about her we know a great deal about him and he has fascinated many women... Especially me. Amal Alamuddin, known now as Amal Clooney, is suddenly in that stratosphere that we reserve for the Jackie Os and the Princess Dis and Kate Middletons... That is everything she does, says or wears is officially fascinating."
Amal married the Hollywood actor in September (14) and has been propelled into the limelight since the nuptials.
Other names featured on Walters' list include Scarlett Johansson, Neil Patrick Harris, Oprah Winfrey and Taylor Swift.

Veteran U.S. newswoman Barbara Walters had a breast cancer scare more than five years ago.
The former The View co-host was the top honouree at the Breast Cancer Research Foundation luncheon in New York City on Thursday (09Oct14), and when she took to the stage to accept the accolade, she confessed she secretly survived the disease years ago.
Walters said, "Some years back, more than five now, I discovered a small lump in my own breast. Under the expert care of my doctor I had a lumpectomy."
"I haven't talked about it. There was no need to. There were other choices that were possible. This was mine. I told a few people and I'm fine. I wasn't worried because I knew that the advances made in treating breast cancer including lumpectomies were possible. Research made my treatment possible."
She added, "I can remember when it was a death sentence and it terrified me. It still frightens me. But now we know there is treatment."
It isn't the first time Walters has had a fright with the deadly disease. While talking about Angelina Jolie's preventative double mastectomy on The View last year (13), the journalist admitted she had both of her ovaries removed after her sister passed away from ovarian cancer.

DreamWorks
For the bulk of every Rocky and Bullwinkle episode, moose and squirrel would engage in high concept escapades that satirized geopolitics, contemporary cinema, and the very fabrics of the human condition. With all of that to work with, there's no excuse for why the pair and their Soviet nemeses haven't gotten a decent movie adaptation. But the ingenious Mr. Peabody and his faithful boy Sherman are another story, intercut between Rocky and Bullwinkle segments to teach kids brief history lessons and toss in a nearly lethal dose of puns. Their stories and relationship were much simpler, which means that bringing their shtick to the big screen would entail a lot more invention — always risky when you're dealing with precious material.
For the most part, Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman handles the regeneration of its heroes aptly, allowing for emotionally substance in their unique father-son relationship and all the difficulties inherent therein. The story is no subtle metaphor for the difficulties surrounding gay adoption, with society decreeing that a dog, no matter how hyper-intelligent, cannot be a suitable father. The central plot has Peabody hosting a party for a disapproving child services agent and the parents of a young girl with whom 7-year-old Sherman had a schoolyard spat, all in order to prove himself a suitable dad. Of course, the WABAC comes into play when the tots take it for a spin, forcing Peabody to rush to their rescue.
Getting down to personals, we also see the left brain-heavy Peabody struggle with being father Sherman deserves. The bulk of the emotional marks are hit as we learn just how much Peabody cares for Sherman, and just how hard it has been to accept that his only family is growing up and changing.
DreamWorks
But more successful than the new is the film's handling of the old — the material that Peabody and Sherman purists will adore. They travel back in time via the WABAC Machine to Ancient Egypt, the Renaissance, and the Trojan War, and 18th Century France, explaining the cultural backdrop and historical significance of the settings and characters they happen upon, all with that irreverent (but no longer racist) flare that the old cartoons enjoyed. And oh... the puns.
Mr. Peabody &amp; Sherman is a f**king treasure trove of some of the most amazingly bad puns in recent cinema. This effort alone will leave you in awe.
The film does unravel in its final act, bringing the science-fiction of time travel a little too close to the forefront and dropping the ball on a good deal of its emotional groundwork. What seemed to be substantial building blocks do not pay off in the way we might, as scholars of animated family cinema, have anticipated, leaving the movie with an unfinished feeling.
But all in all, it's a bright, compassionate, reasonably educational, and occasionally funny if not altogether worthy tribute to an old favorite. And since we don't have our own WABAC machine to return to a time of regularly scheduled Peabody and Sherman cartoons, this will do okay for now.
If nothing else, it's worth your time for the puns.
3/5
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Everett Collection
The 2014 Sundance Film Festival lineup for the U.S. and World Cinema Dramatic and Documentary competition and the out-of-competition NEXT section is officially here, and damn are we excited.
As the festival has evolved and grown, so has the long list of actors and directors who have eagerly jumped on board to be a part of the indie film scene, which means that the lineup of actors for the upcoming event is looking pretty solid. In 2014 we can look forward to seeing the works of those like Glenn Close, Susan Sarandon, John Slattery, Aaron Paul, Kristen Stewart, and Mark Ruffalo, and comedians such as Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader, Lena Dunham, Jenny Slate, Aubrey Plaza, Amy Sedaris, and more.
The festival will run from Jan. 16 to 26 in Park City, Utah and will include 118 features. Still to come are the lineups for Slates for Spotlight, Park City at Midnight, New Frontier, Premieres and Documentary Premieres, and the new Sundance Kids category.
Check out the lineup so far (via Vulture):
DRAMATIC COMPETITION
Camp X-Ray / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Peter Sattler) — A young woman is stationed as a guard in Guantanamo Bay, where she forms an unlikely friendship with one of the detainees. Cast: Kristen Stewart, Payman Maadi, Lane Garrison, J.J. Soria, John Carroll Lynch.Cold in July / U.S.A. (Director: Jim Mickle, Screenwriters: Jim Mickle, Nick Damici) — After killing a home intruder, a small town Texas man's life unravels into a dark underworld of corruption and violence. Cast: Michael C. Hall, Don Johnson, Sam Shepard, Vinessa Shaw, Nick Damici, Wyatt Russell.Dear White People / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Simien) — Four black students attend an Ivy League college where a riot breaks out over an “African American” themed party thrown by white students. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in postracial America while weaving a story about forging one's unique path in the world. Cast: Tyler Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Parris, Brandon Bell.Fishing Without Nets / U.S.A., Somalia, Kenya (Director: Cutter Hodierne, Screenwriters: Cutter Hodierne, John Hibey, David Burkman) — A story of pirates in Somalia told from the perspective of a struggling, young Somali fisherman. Cast: Abdikani Muktar, Abdi Siad, Abduwhali Faarah, Abdikhadir Hassan, Reda Kateb, Idil Ibrahim.God's Pocket / U.S.A. (Director: John Slattery, Screenwriters: John Slattery, Alex Metcalf) — When Mickey's stepson Leon is killed in a construction "accident," Mickey tries to bury the bad news with the body. But when the boy's mother demands the truth, Mickey finds himself stuck between a body he can’t bury, a wife he can’t please, and a debt he can’t pay. Cast: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Richard Jenkins, Christina Hendricks, John Turturro.Happy Christmas / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Joe Swanberg) — After a breakup with her boyfriend, a young woman moves in with her older brother, his wife, and their 2-year-old son. Cast: Anna Kendrick, Melanie Lynskey, Mark Webber, Lena Dunham, Joe Swanberg.Hellion / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kat Candler) — When motocross and heavy metal obsessed, 13-year-old Jacob's delinquent behavior forces CPS to place his little brother Wes with his aunt, Jacob and his emotionally absent father must finally take responsibility for their actions and each other in order to bring Wes home. Cast: Aaron Paul, Juliette Lewis, Josh Wiggins, Deke Garner, Jonny Mars, Walt Roberts.Infinitely Polar Bear / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Maya Forbes) — A manic-depressive mess of a father tries to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters, who don't make the overwhelming task any easier. Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, Imogene Wolodarsky, Ashley Aufderheide.Jamie Marks is Dead / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Carter Smith) — No one seemed to care about Jamie Marks until after his death. Hoping to find the love and friendship he never had in life, Jamie’s ghost visits former classmate Adam McCormick, drawing him into the bleak world between the living and the dead. Cast: Cameron Monaghan, Noah Silver, Morgan Saylor, Judy Greer, Madisen Beaty, Liv Tyler.Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter / U.S.A. (Director: David Zellner, Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi.Life After Beth / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Jeff Baena) — Zach is devastated by the unexpected death of his girlfriend, Beth. When she mysteriously returns, he gets a second chance at love. Soon his whole world turns upside down... Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Dane DeHaan, John C. Reilly, Molly Shannon, Cheryl Hines, Paul Reiser.Low Down / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Preiss, Screenwriters: Amy Albany, Topper Lilien) — Based on Amy Jo Albany's memoir, Low Down explores her heart-wrenching journey to adulthood while being raised by her father, bebop pianist Joe Albany, as he teeters between incarceration and addiction in the urban decay and waning bohemia of Hollywood in the 1970s. Cast: John Hawkes, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Flea.The Skeleton Twins / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Johnson, Screenwriters: Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman) — Estranged twins Maggie and Milo coincidentally cheat death on the same day, prompting them to reunite and confront the reasons their lives went so wrong. As the twins' reunion reinvigorates them, they realize the key to fixing their lives may just lie in repairing their relationship. Cast: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Joanna Gleason.The Sleepwalker / U.S.A., Norway (Director: Mona Fastvold, Screenwriters: Mona Fastvold, Brady Corbet) — A young couple, Kaia and Andrew, are renovating Kaia´s secluded family estate. Their lives are violently interrupted when unexpected guests arrive. The Sleepwalker chronicles the unraveling of the lives of four disparate characters as it transcends genre conventions and narrative contrivance to reveal something much more disturbing. Cast: Gitte Witt, Christopher Abbott, Brady Corbet, Stephanie Ellis.Song One / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Kate Barker-Froyland) — Estranged from her family, Franny returns home when an accident leaves her brother comatose. Retracing his life as an aspiring musician, she tracks down his favorite musician, James Forester. Against the backdrop of Brooklyn’s music scene, Franny and James develop an unexpected relationship and face the realities of their lives. Cast: Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn, Mary Steenburgen, Ben Rosenfield.Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons.
NEXT
Appropriate Behavior / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Desiree Akhavan) — Shirin is struggling to become an ideal Persian daughter, a politically correct bisexual, and a hip, young Brooklynite, but fails miserably in her attempt at all identities. Being without a cliché to hold on to can be a lonely experience. Cast: Desiree Akhavan, Rebecca Henderson, Halley Feiffer, Scott Adsit, Anh Duong, Arian Moayed. World Premiere.Drunktown's Finest / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Sydney Freeland) — Three young Native Americans—a rebellious father-to-be, a devout Christian woman, and a promiscuous transsexual—come of age on an Indian reservation. Cast: Jeremiah Bitsui, Carmen Moore, Morningstar Angeline, Kiowa Gordon, Shauna Baker, Elizabeth Francis. World Premiere.The Foxy Merkins / U.S.A. (Director: Madeleine Olnek, Screenwriters: Lisa Haas, Jackie Monahan, Madeleine Olnek) — Two lesbian hookers work the streets of New York. One is a down-on-her-luck newbie; the other is a beautiful—and straight—grifter who's an expert on picking up women. Together they face bargain-hunting housewives, double-dealing conservative women, and each other in this prostitute buddy comedy. Cast: Lisa Haas, Jackie Monahan, Alex Karpovsky, Susan Ziegler, Sally Sockwell, Deb Margolin.A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Ana Lily Amirpour) — In the Iranian ghost town Bad City, a place that reeks of death and loneliness, depraved denizens are unaware they are being stalked by a lonesome vampire. Cast: Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Dominic Rains, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnó, Milad Eghbali. World Premiere.Imperial Dreams / U.S.A. (Director: Malik Vitthal, Screenwriters: Malik Vitthal, Ismet Prcic) — A 21-year-old, reformed gangster's devotion to his family and his future are put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles. Cast: John Boyega, Rotimi Akinosho, Glenn Plummer, Keke Palmer, De'aundre Bonds. World Premiere.Land Ho! / U.S.A., Iceland (Directors and screenwriters: Martha Stephens, Aaron Katz) — A pair of ex-brothers-in-law set off to Iceland in an attempt to reclaim their youth through Reykjavik nightclubs, trendy spas, and rugged campsites. This bawdy adventure is a throwback to 1980s road comedies, as well as a candid exploration of aging, loneliness, and friendship. Cast: Paul Eenhoorn, Earl Nelson, Alice Olivia Clarke, Karrie Krouse, Elizabeth McKee, Emmsjé Gauti. World Premiere.Listen Up Philip / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Alex Ross Perry) — A story about changing seasons and changing attitudes, a newly accomplished writer faces mistakes and miseries affecting those around him, including his girlfriend, her sister, his idol, his idol's daughter, and all the ex-girlfriends and enemies that lie in wait on the open streets of New York. Cast: Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, Jonathan Pryce, Krysten Ritter, Josephine de La Baume. World Premiere.Memphis / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Tim Sutton) — A strange singer drifts through the mythic city of Memphis, surrounded by beautiful women, legendary musicians, a stone-cold hustler, a righteous preacher, and a wolf pack of kids. Under a canopy of ancient oak trees and burning spirituality, his doomed journey breaks from conformity and reaches out for glory. Cast: Willis Earl Beal, Lopaka Thomas, Constance Brantley, Devonte Hull, John Gary Williams, Larry Dodson. World Premiere.Obvious Child / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Gillian Robespierre) — An honest comedy about what happens when Brooklyn comedian Donna Stern gets dumped, fired, and pregnant, just in time for the worst/best Valentine's Day of her life. Cast: Jenny Slate, Jake Lacy, Gaby Hoffmann, David Cross, Gabe Liedman, Richard Kind. World Premiere.Ping Pong Summer / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Michael Tully) — 1985. Ocean City, Maryland. Summer vacation. Rap music. Parachute pants. Ping pong. First crushes. Best friends. Mean bullies. Weird mentors. That awkward, momentous time in your life when you're treated like an alien by everyone around you, even though you know deep down you're as funky fresh as it gets. Cast: Susan Sarandon, John Hannah, Lea Thompson, Amy Sedaris, Robert Longstreet, Marcello Conte. World Premiere.War Story / U.S.A. (Director: Mark Jackson, Screenwriters: Kristin Gore, Mark Jackson) — A war photographer retreats to a small town in Sicily after being held captive during the conflict in Libya. Cast: Catherine Keener, Hafsia Herzi, Vincenzo Amato, Donatella Finocchiaro, Ben Kingsley. World Premiere.
U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITIONAlive Inside: A Story of Music &amp; Memory / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Rossato-Bennett) — Five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's disease and dementia—many of them alone in nursing homes. A man with a simple idea discovers that songs embedded deep in memory can ease pain and awaken these fading minds. Joy and life are resuscitated, and our cultural fears over aging are confronted. All the Beautiful Things / U.S.A. (Director: John Harkrider) — John and Barron are lifelong friends whose friendship is tested when Barron's girlfriend says Barron put a knife to her throat and raped her. Not knowing she has lied, John tells her to go to the police. Years later, John and Barron meet in a bar to resolve the betrayal.CAPTIVATED The Trials of Pamela Smart / U.S.A., United Kingdom (Director: Jeremiah Zagar) — In an extraordinary and tragic American story, a small town murder becomes one of the highest profile cases of all time. From its historic role as the first televised trial to the many books and movies made about it, the film looks at the media’s enduring impact on the case. The Case Against 8 / U.S.A. (Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White) — A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court.Cesar's Last Fast / U.S.A. (Directors: Richard Ray Perez, Lorena Parlee) — Inspired by Catholic social teaching, Cesar Chavez risked his life fighting for America’s poorest workers. The film illuminates the intensity of one man’s devotion and personal sacrifice, the birth of an economic justice movement, and tells an untold chapter in the story of civil rights in America. Dinosaur 13 / U.S.A. (Director: Todd Miller) — The true tale behind one of the greatest discoveries in history. Day One film.E-TEAM / U.S.A. (Directors: Katy Chevigny, Ross Kauffman) — E-TEAM is driven by the high-stakes investigative work of four intrepid human rights workers, offering a rare look at their lives at home and their dramatic work in the field. Fed Up / U.S.A. (Director: Stephanie Soechtig) — Fed Up blows the lid off everything we thought we knew about food and weight loss, revealing a 30-year campaign by the food industry, aided by the U.S. government, to mislead and confuse the American public, resulting in one of the largest health epidemics in history. The Internet's Own Boy: The Story of Aaron Swartz / U.S.A. (Director: Brian Knappenberger) — Programming prodigy and information activist Aaron Swartz achieved groundbreaking work in social justice and political organizing. His passion for open access ensnared him in a legal nightmare that ended with the taking of his own life at the age of 26. Ivory Tower / U.S.A. (Director: Andrew Rossi) — As tuition spirals upward and student debt passes a trillion dollars, students and parents ask, "Is college worth it?" From the halls of Harvard to public and private colleges in financial crisis to education startups in Silicon Valley, an urgent portrait emerges of a great American institution at the breaking point. Marmato / U.S.A. (Director: Mark Grieco) — Colombia is the center of a new global gold rush, and Marmato, a historic mining town, is the new frontier. Filmed over the course of nearly six years, Marmato chronicles how townspeople confront a Canadian mining company that wants the $20 billion in gold beneath their homes. No No: A Dockumentary / U.S.A. (Director: Jeffrey Radice) — Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter on LSD, then worked for decades counseling drug abusers. Dock's soulful style defined 1970s baseball as he kept hitters honest and embarrassed the establishment. An ensemble cast of teammates, friends, and family investigate his life on the field, in the media, and out of the spotlight. The Overnighters / U.S.A. (Director: Jesse Moss) — Desperate, broken men chase their dreams and run from their demons in the North Dakota oil fields. A local Pastor's decision to help them has extraordinary and unexpected consequences.Private Violence / U.S.A. (Director: Cynthia Hill) — One in four women experience violence in their homes. Have you ever asked, “Why doesn't she just leave?” Private Violence shatters the brutality of our logic and intimately reveals the stories of two women: Deanna Walters, who transforms from victim to survivor, and Kit Gruelle, who advocates for justice. Rich Hill / U.S.A. (Directors: Andrew Droz Palermo, Tracy Droz Tragos) — In a rural, American town, kids face heartbreaking choices, find comfort in the most fragile of family bonds, and dream of a future of possibility. Watchers of the Sky / U.S.A. (Director: Edet Belzberg) — Five interwoven stories of remarkable courage from Nuremberg to Rwanda, from Darfur to Syria, and from apathy to action. WORLD CINEMA DRAMATIC COMPETITION
52 Tuesdays / Australia (Director: Sophie Hyde, Screenplay and story by: Matthew Cormack, Story by: Sophie Hyde) — Sixteen-year-old Billie’s reluctant path to independence is accelerated when her mother reveals plans for gender transition, and their time together becomes limited to Tuesdays. This emotionally charged story of desire, responsibility, and transformation was filmed over the course of a year—once a week, every week, only on Tuesdays. Cast: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Del Herbert-Jane, Imogen Archer, Mario Späte, Beau Williams, Sam Althuizen. International Premiere.Blind / Norway, Netherlands (Director and screenwriter: Eskil Vogt) — Having recently lost her sight, Ingrid retreats to the safety of her home—a place she can feel in control, alone with her husband and her thoughts. But Ingrid's real problems lie within, not beyond the walls of her apartment, and her deepest fears and repressed fantasies soon take over. Cast: Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Vera Vitali, Marius Kolbenstvedt. World Premiere.Difret / Ethiopia (Director and screenwriter: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari) — Meaza Ashenafi is a young lawyer who operates under the government's radar helping women and children until one young girl's legal case exposes everything, threatening not only her career but her survival. Cast: Meron Getnet, Tizita Hagere. World Premiere.The Disobedient / Serbia (Director and screenwriter: Mina Djukic) — Leni anxiously waits for her childhood friend Lazar, who is coming back to their hometown after years of studying abroad. After they reunite, they embark on a random bicycle trip around their childhood haunts, which will either exhaust or reinvent their relationship. Cast: Hana Selimovic, Mladen Sovilj, Minja Subota, Danijel Sike, Ivan Djordjevic. World Premiere.God Help the Girl / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stuart Murdoch) — This musical from Stuart Murdoch of Belle &amp; Sebastian is about some messed up boys and girls and the music they made. Cast: Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray, Cora Bissett, Pierre Boulanger. World Premiere.Liar's Dice / India (Director and screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas) — Kamala, a young woman from the village of Chitkul, leaves her native land with her daughter to search for her missing husband. Along the journey, they encounter Nawazudin, a free-spirited army deserter with his own selfish motives who helps them reach their destination. Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta. International Premiere.Lilting / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Hong Khaou) — The world of a Chinese mother mourning the untimely death of her son is suddenly disrupted by the presence of a stranger who doesn't speak her language. Lilting is a touching and intimate film about finding the things that bring us together. Cast: Ben Whishaw, Pei-Pei Cheng, Andrew Leung, Peter Bowles, Naomi Christie, Morven Christie. World Premiere.
Lock Charmer (El cerrajero) / Argentina (Director and screenwriter: Natalia Smirnoff) — Upon learning that his girlfriend is pregnant, 33-year-old locksmith Sebastian begins to have strange visions about his clients. With the help of an unlikely assistant, he sets out to use his newfound talent for his own good. Cast: Esteban Lamothe, Erica Rivas, Yosiria Huaripata. World Premiere.To Kill a Man / Chile, France (Director and screenwriter: Alejandro Fernandez Almendras) — When Jorge, a hardworking family man who's barely making ends meet, gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge's son decides to confront the attacker, only to get himself shot. Even though Jorge's son nearly dies, Kalule's sentence is minimal, heightening the friction. Cast: Daniel Candia, Daniel Antivilo, Alejandra Yañez, Ariel Mateluna. World Premiere.Viktoria / Bulgaria, Romania (Director and screenwriter: Maya Vitkova) — Although determined not to have a child in Communist Bulgaria, Boryana gives birth to Viktoria, who despite being born with no umbilical cord, is proclaimed to be the baby of the decade. But political collapse and the hardships of the new time bind mother and daughter together. Cast: Irmena Chichikova, Daria Vitkova, Kalina Vitkova, Mariana Krumova, Dimo Dimov, Georgi Spassov. World Premiere.Wetlands / Germany (Director: David Wnendt, Screenwriters: Claus Falkenberg, David Wnendt, based on the novel by Charlotte Roche) — Meet Helen Memel. She likes to experiment with vegetables while masturbating and thinks that bodily hygiene is greatly overrated. She shocks those around her by speaking her mind in a most unladylike manner on topics that many people would not even dare consider. Cast: Carla Juri, Christoph Letkowski, Meret Becker, Axel Milberg, Marlen Kruse, Edgar Selge. North American Premiere.White Shadow / Italy, Germany, Tanzania (Director: Noaz Deshe, Screenwriters: Noaz Deshe, James Masson) — Alias is a young albino boy on the run. His mother has sent him away to find refuge in the city after witnessing his father's murder. Over time, the city becomes no different than the bush: wherever Alias travels, the same rules of survival apply. Cast: Hamisi Bazili, James Gayo, Glory Mbayuwayu, Salum Abdallah. International Premiere.
WORLD CINEMA DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION
20,000 Days On Earth / United Kingdom (Directors: Iain Forsyth &amp; Jane Pollard) — Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international culture icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, this film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit. World Premiere.Concerning Violence / Sweden, U.S.A., Denmark, Finland (Director: Göran Hugo Olsson) — Concerning Violence is based on newly discovered, powerful archival material documenting the most daring moments in the struggle for liberation in the Third World, accompanied by classic text from The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon. World Premiere.The Green Prince / Germany, Israel, United Kingdom (Director: Nadav Schirman ) — This real-life thriller tells the story of one of Israel’s prized intelligence sources, recruited to spy on his own people for more than a decade. Focusing on the complex relationship with his handler, The Green Prince is a gripping account of terror, betrayal, and unthinkable choices, along with a friendship that defies all boundaries. World Premiere.
Happiness / France, Finland (Director: Thomas Balmès) — Peyangki is a dreamy and solitary eight-year-old monk living in Laya, a Bhutanese village perched high in the Himalayas. Soon the world will come to him: the village is about to be connected to electricity, and the first television will flicker on before Peyangki's eyes. North American Premiere.Love Child / South Korea, U.S.A. (Director: Valerie Veatch) — In Seoul in the Republic of Korea, a young couple stands accused of neglect when "Internet addiction" in an online fantasy game costs the life of their infant daughter. Love Child documents the 2010 trial and subsequent ruling that set a global precedent in a world where virtual is the new reality. World Premiere.Mr leos caraX / France (Director: Tessa Louise-Salomé) — Mr leos caraX plunges us into the poetic and visionary world of a mysterious, solitary filmmaker who was already a cult figure from his very first film. Punctuated by interviews and previously unseen footage, this documentary is most of all a fine-tuned exploration of the poetic and visionary world of Leos Carax, alias Mr. X. World Premiere.My Prairie Home / Canada (Director: Chelsea McMullan) — A poetic journey through landscapes both real and emotional, Chelsea McMullan’s documentary/musical offers an intimate portrait of transgender singer Rae Spoon, framed by stunning images of the Canadian prairies. McMullan’s imaginative visual interpretations of Spoon’s songs make this an unforgettable look at a unique Canadian artist. International Premiere.The Notorious Mr. Bout / U.S.A., Russia (Directors: Tony Gerber, Maxim Pozdorovkin) — Viktor Bout was a war profiteer, an entrepreneur, an aviation tycoon, an arms dealer, and—strangest of all—a documentary filmmaker. The Notorious Mr. Bout is the ultimate rags-to-riches-to-prison memoir, documented by the last man you'd expect to be holding the camera. World Premiere.Return to Homs / Syria, Germany (Director: Talal Derki) — Basset Sarout, the 19-year-old national football team goalkeeper, becomes a demonstration leader and singer, and then a fighter. Ossama, a 24-year-old renowned citizen cameraman, is critical, a pacifist, and ironic until he is detained by the regime's security forces. North American Premiere.SEPIDEH – Reaching for the Stars / Denmark (Director: Berit Madsen) — Sepideh wants to become an astronaut. As a young Iranian woman, she knows it’s dangerous to challenge traditions and expectations. Still, Sepideh holds on to her dream. She knows a tough battle is ahead, a battle that only seems possible to win once she seeks help from an unexpected someone. North American Premiere.We Come as Friends / France, Austria (Director: Hubert Sauper) — We Come as Friends views colonization as a human phenomenon through both explicit and metaphoric lenses without oversimplified accusations or political theorizing. Alarmingly, It is not a historical film since colonization and the slave trade still exist. World Premiere.Web Junkie / Israel (Directors: Shosh Shlam, Hilla Medalia) — China is the first country to label “Internet addiction” a clinical disorder. Web Junkie investigates a Beijing rehab center where Chinese teenagers are deprogrammed. World Premiere.
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Lions Gate via Everett Collection
When we last left our heroes, they had conquered all opponents in the 74th Annual Hunger Games, returned home to their newly refurbished living quarters in District 12, and fallen haplessly to the cannibalism of PTSD. And now we're back! Hitching our wagons once again to laconic Katniss Everdeen and her sweet-natured, just-for-the-camera boyfriend Peeta Mellark as they gear up for a second go at the Capitol's killing fields.
But hold your horses — there's a good hour and a half before we step back into the arena. However, the time spent with Katniss and Peeta before the announcement that they'll be competing again for the ceremonial Quarter Quell does not drag. In fact, it's got some of the film franchise's most interesting commentary about celebrity, reality television, and the media so far, well outweighing the merit of The Hunger Games' satire on the subject matter by having Katniss struggle with her responsibilities as Panem's idol. Does she abide by the command of status quo, delighting in the public's applause for her and keeping them complacently saturated with her smiles and curtsies? Or does Katniss hold three fingers high in opposition to the machine into which she has been thrown? It's a quarrel that the real Jennifer Lawrence would handle with a castigation of the media and a joke about sandwiches, or something... but her stakes are, admittedly, much lower. Harvey Weinstein isn't threatening to kill her secret boyfriend.
Through this chapter, Katniss also grapples with a more personal warfare: her devotion to Gale (despite her inability to commit to the idea of love) and her family, her complicated, moralistic affection for Peeta, her remorse over losing Rue, and her agonizing desire to flee the eye of the public and the Capitol. Oftentimes, Katniss' depression and guilty conscience transcends the bounds of sappy. Her soap opera scenes with a soot-covered Gale really push the limits, saved if only by the undeniable grace and charisma of star Lawrence at every step along the way of this film. So it's sappy, but never too sappy.
In fact, Catching Fire is a masterpiece of pushing limits as far as they'll extend before the point of diminishing returns. Director Francis Lawrence maintains an ambiance that lends to emotional investment but never imposes too much realism as to drip into territories of grit. All of Catching Fire lives in a dreamlike state, a stark contrast to Hunger Games' guttural, grimacing quality that robbed it of the life force Suzanne Collins pumped into her first novel.
Once we get to the thunderdome, our engines are effectively revved for the "fun part." Katniss, Peeta, and their array of allies and enemies traverse a nightmare course that seems perfectly suited for a videogame spin-off. At this point, we've spent just enough time with the secondary characters to grow a bit fond of them — deliberately obnoxious Finnick, jarringly provocative Johanna, offbeat geeks Beedee and Wiress — but not quite enough to dissolve the mystery surrounding any of them or their true intentions (which become more and more enigmatic as the film progresses). We only need adhere to Katniss and Peeta once tossed in the pit of doom that is the 75th Hunger Games arena, but finding real characters in the other tributes makes for a far more fun round of extreme manhunt.
But Catching Fire doesn't vie for anything particularly grand. It entertains and engages, having fun with and anchoring weight to its characters and circumstances, but stays within the expected confines of what a Hunger Games movie can be. It's a good one, but without shooting for succinctly interesting or surprising work with Katniss and her relationships or taking a stab at anything but the obvious in terms of sending up the militant tyrannical autocracy, it never even closes in on the possibility of being a great one.
3.5/5
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We won't be seeing Barbara Walters on TV much longer. ABC revealed late Sunday night that Walters will be retiring from TV journalism, stating that she will be making the official announcement on The View Monday morning.
Until then, Walters will continue to act as an anchor and report on major news stories. She will also continue to appear on The View. "I am very happy with my decision," Walters told People, "and look forward to a wonderful and special year ahead."
"I do not want to appear on another program or climb another mountain," Walters added. "I want instead to sit on a sunny field and admire the very gifted women — and, okay, some men, too — who will be taking my place."
After nearly 40 years at ABC News and more than 50 years in the business, Walters will be retiring at the age of 84. She will still remain the executive producer of The View.
Follow Lindsey on Twitter @LDiMat.
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Since Christmas is less than a week away, I wanted to do something special for my fellow TV fanatics. So I gathered up scoop for 6 fantastic shows, stuffed ‘em in an article, and wrapped it all together with a big sparkly bow. This is way better than a candy gram you guys! (Sorry Glenn Coco.) This week’s edition of Leanne’s Spoiler List features exclusive Arrow scoop from the loveable Seth Gabel, upcoming details from the all-knowing Vampire Diaries boss Julie Plec, and hilarious Happy Endings dish from the cast. I also threw in some stocking stuffers from the premieres of Suits, Bunheads and Shameless!
Plus, for the first time ever I answered one of your Twitter questions! I think I’d like to make this a regular thing so don’t forget you can request scoop on your favorite shows using the hashtag #LeannesList. Remember, I give extra point for alacrity and effulgence. Happy Holidays TV Lovers! 1.Arrow: Starling City Pill Pusher
You all know that I love me some Arrow — and that’s not just because Stephen Amell is the closest thing to a perfect human being since Hunter Parrish. Arrow is smart, creative, thrilling, and has a vast repertoire of comic book characters that spice up every episode. (Granted the closest I’ve ever come to a comic book is through the cast of The Big Bang Theory, but hey, I’m sure they’re great!) One of the most highly anticipated Arrow villains is without a doubt Count Vertigo, and what makes it even more exciting is the fact that beloved Fringe alum Seth Gabel will be bringing the antihero to life.
Gabel — who first appears in episode 12, entitled “Vertigo” — explains, “It’s a definite adaptation to this darker, more realistic world that is “Vertigo.” And instead of being an Eastern European count as is depicted in the comic, I am a street thug drug kingpin who doesn’t have superpowers.” The actor continues, “But the superpowers that the character has in the comic book are manifested in the form of the drug called Vertigo, which I push on the citizens of Starling City.” Oh! This is gonna be good, I can tell.
Fans of The CW freshman hit know that Oliver is not particularly focused on the petty street crimes of his city — however, it seems that The Count’s drug dealing might hit a bit too close to home. When I pressed for details, Gabel revealed that The Count would not just be sharing scenes with Arrow/Oliver. Could this be connected to Thea and her drug habits? Gabel was sly with his answer, saying, “Hmm, it’s possible but I can’t say for sure.” I’m just going to go ahead and say with Thea’s less-than stellar track record, I would not be surpised at all if she went on a little superhero drug binder. (P.S. I am in no way obligated to tell you that Gabel’s movie Allegiance is now available on VOD, in theaters on December 28th in New York and January 4th in Los Angeles. Just thought you’d like to know.)
Bunheads: A Gilmore Girls Guest Star!
Bunheads is one of the cutest shows to have ever graced our TV screens, and the fact that reminds me so much of Amy Sherman Palladino’s first great love Gilmore Girls is just icing on the cake. I don’t usually like to admit this, but one of the reasons I wanted to become a journalist is because of Rory Gilmore. So yes, Gilmore Girls will always have a special place in my heart. So you can imagine my squeals of delight when I was watching the Bunheads winter premiere and saw a familiar Stars Hallow face. Remember TJ (Michael DeLuise)? Well, he’s back and more magical than ever! A few months ago I had the pleasure of sitting down with the legendary Sutton Foster to discuss the Bunheads finale, and we gushed on our shared loved of all things Gilmore Girls (Psst! You can check it out right here!). Now I was able to chat with the iconic Broadway legend about what fans can expect from the show’s Jan. 7 premiere. When we last saw Michelle, she had just maced her entire class minutes before their big Nutcracker finale, and she left the hospital full of shame despite the adorable "Oh captain! My captain!" salute the girls gave her. So where is Michelle after the summer jump? “I’ve left Paradise and I’m living in Vegas on a friend’s couch," Foster says. "And working in Henderson, Nevada as a magician’s assistant in a casino. Everyone is kind of at a standstill." I can safely reveal that Michelle does indeed make it back to Paradise, but it does take quite a bit of coaxing, and one adorably sweet video. Foster explains, "It takes several forces to get Michelle to come back, and I think it all boils down to people seeing greatness in Michelle that she actually has to offer that even Michelle doesn’t believe in." But Hubbell does...
3. Suits: Handsome? Party of Two?
Dapper, dashing, and damn he’s sexy. There’s just something about a man in a suit that puts a smile on a girl’s face and daydreams in her head. Luckily, I was able to catch up with my favorite stylish twosome in the Suits winter premiere. When we first see the Pearson Hardman gang for the second half of Season 2, the mood in the office is — how shall I put this? — tense, to say the very least. Morale is less than stellar following the big partnership civil war, especially for Louis. (He was on the losing side of that fight, remember?) With Mike still reeling from the death of his grandmother, the case he and Harvey tackle in the premiere hits especially close to home. Mike lost his parents when they were hit by a drunk driver, so the fact that he's defending a teenage driver who killed a man and fled the scene doesn't exactly sit well with him. But not to worry Suits-lovers! It's not only gloom and doom — there's still room for a little levity thanks to Donna and Louis' romantic tryst with the spunky Sheila Sasz. (Say her name out loud. Laugh. Repeat.) Oh and bee tee dubs, Suits returns to our lives on Thursday, Jan. 17.
4.The Vampire Diaries: Mystic Falls Magic
After last week’s Christmas massacre, many fans (myself included) are dying to know what’s in store for the second half of Season 4. Not only did executive producer Julie Plec reveal an obscene amount of details to Holywood.com about Klaus and the cure, she also shed some light on our new oncam eye-candy Professor Shane. Plec says that the all-knowing teacher will continue to be a major presence in the second half of the season. “We'll definitely learn a lot more about Shane's agenda — the why, the where, and the how, the who — over the next couple of episodes.” We do know one thing for sure: Professor Shane is one super shady guy. He is currently teaching Bonnie — aka the most boring character of the season (come on you know it’s true!) — about a new type of magic called Expression. For those of you that are still in shock over the death of Mayor Lockwood, let me remind you: Expression is an unnatural form of witchcraft that requires the use of 12 human sacrifices in order to channel a darkness that is even worse than black magic. What’s most curious is the fact that Professor Shane helped get those 12 hybrids slaughtered/sacrificed, so does this mean that Expression becomes even more powerful? Plec explains that almost all of the answers that we need have already been revealed, “If you look back from the beginning of the season and sort of connect all the dots we've given you so far you can probably piece together quite a lot of the story.” Looks like this is a perfect excuse to binge-watch the first nine episodes again over our holiday break!
5. Happy Endings: Best News Ever!
Yes, it’s true that Happy Endings has without a doubt one of the quirkiest and most all around awesome casts on TV, but there is one person who is the hilarious cherry on top of a perfect sundae: Derrick. For those of who don’t know who Derrick is, I’m sorry but I don’t think we can be friends. (D-R-A-M-A. Drama!) Sigh. Okay, fine, watch this. Amahzing, right? Now that you all understand the perfection of Derrick, I am beyond excited to tell you that he’s coming back! A few months ago I visited the set of Happy Endings, and was overloaded with fantastical details of what’s to come — and now I can finally spill! One of my favorite people in this world, Adam Pally, reveals, “Derrick has a fun story line with me where I'm having trouble finding my gay identity, and Derrick takes me through the gay underworld on kind of a gay vision quest.” We’ve seen Max in the past as a bear — no, I’m, serious — but Pally says that our favorite freeloader is now evolving. “He was a cub, but the years are passing…. he's not quite a bear anymore, so he's gotta figure it out.” Casey Wilson adds, “Not quite a bear, not yet a woman.”
Another giggle-worthy episode that’s coming up features the best co-dependent girl and gubby (gay hubby) relationship on TV. Fans will soon be treated to an episode that Pally describes as “Penny and Max’s Requiem For a Dream storyline.” Wilson explains, “There's a real funny story coming up with us… Penny's coaching Max on how to not call a guy too much if you don't want to call him, and how to lose weight, which is to take NyQuil and drug yourself around 4pm so you sleep through the night. So you don't call anyone and you lose weight. And they become NyQuil addicts and never leave the apartment. And we think we look great.” Just you wait, NyQuil-ing is now going to be one of the hottest dieting trends of 2013. “I like when they treat Max and Penny like girlfriends," Pally says. "That to me is some fun stuff.” Well, to me, anything this show does is “fun stuff,” but I think that’s enough Happy Endings gushing for one day. Moving on!
6. Twitter Question: @NotATherapist What do you have on Shameless or House of Lies?
Eenie meenie miney… Shameless! Confession: I love this show. Like almost to an unhealthy level. When I watch it I suddenly feel like I’m just as much of a badass as the Gallaghers, and at any moment I’ll break a beer bottle and threaten to stab someone with it. But then I remember that I’m 5’3”, from Orange County, and have a Sprinkles cupcake subscription.
The Season 3 premiere of Shameless is filled with everything we’ve been missing these past 6 months: crazy characters, hilariously crude plotlines, and dead naked guys. (Oh yes, you read that last one correctly.) It’s been 137 days since the Gallaghers have seen their pathetic patriarch Frank, and it seems like Debbie is the only one who is desperate to see him. Jimmy is now a Rachel Ray-watching, cookie-baking Mr. Mom, but a visit from his past could ruin his chaotically perfect life with Fiona. Lip and Ian get into a inhaler-inducing chase with the police, and Veronica and Kevin are performing a racy and racist new web show. Madness! Also, get excited for one of the most exciting battle robot competitions you’ve ever seen.
Follow Leanne on Twitter @LeanneAguilera
—Additional reporting by Sydney Bucksbaum and Jean Bentley
[Photo Credit: The CW, ABC Family, ABC, USA Network, Showtime]
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What do Randy Newman, Heart, Public Enemy, Rush, Donna Summer, and Albert King have in common? (This is not the set-up for a terrible joke, promise). Aside from all being decidedly un-rock and roll (with the exception of Rush), they are the inductees for the 2013 class of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers. And while they may not be as traditionally rockin' as one might expect, they are certainly music industry veterans worth celebrating—the last two, Summer and King, posthumously.
This year's inductees seem well-aware of how un-traditional their induction is for a hall that recognizes rock and roll music, but with the blurring of genres and the loose definition of "rock and roll" as an entity, they also understand their own importance to music in general. While speaking to Rolling Stone, Ann Wilson of Heart explained it thusly: "Some people have an idea of what the shape of rock &amp; roll is supposed to look like ... We're not really it. Personally, that's why I think it's taken quite a while ... We're always traveling and out there doing it. It can start to feel like you're a tree falling in the forest, but nobody notices. So this kind of acknowledgement is really sweet."
That said, their roles in the world of music are nothing to poo-poo. Albert King, an iconic blues guitarist, passed away in 1992, was considered one of the "Four Kings of Blues Guitar," forever defining a style of music born and raised in the United States.
Summer, a five-time Grammy Award winner, was also the first artist to have three consecutive double albums reach number one on the United States Billboard chart, and also charted four number-one singles in the United States within a 13-month period. And she managed to do all that while maintaining a fabulous image and being one of the queens of the disco era in the late 70s.
If you've watched a movie in the last 40 years, you've probably heard the music of Randy Newman. Having penned iconic songs from Toy Story, Monsters, Inc, Pleasantville, Seabiscuit , he also had a steady and impressive career in songwriting since he was 17 years old. Newman is also no slouch in the awards departmentL he' been nominated for an astounding 20 Academy Awards and has won twice. He also has three Emmys, five Grammy Awards, and the Governor's Award from the Recording Academy (the people that host the Grammy Awards).
For Public Enemy, their inclusion is also historic, as they are only the fourth hip-hop act to be inducted. (Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five were inducted in 2007, Run-D.M.C. in 2009 and the Beastie Boys in 2012). There's more to the group than simply being a jump-off for Flavor Flav's ridiculous catchphrases: the group have frequently pushed the limits with their politically-charged lyrics in their 30 years together.
Probably the most rock-related of the inductees, both Heart and Rush have found lots of success in Canada, and made headway into the United States in the 70s and 80s, having sold over 30 and 40 million albums, respectively.
This year's induction ceremony will be held on April 18th, 2013 at the Nokia Theater and broadcast on HBO May 18th.
Are you surprised or happy about this year's nominees? Let us know in the comments!
[Photo Credit: Jack Barron/Rex USA]
Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes
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Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides director Rob Marshall is the man behind the ambitious project, which brings fairytale characters like Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Rapunzel to life.
Streep missed a reading of the film on Monday (01Oct12), but it was still an all-star affair, according to BroadwayWorld.com.
Anna Kendrick, Christine Baranski, Cheyenne Jackson, Allison Janney and Patrick Wilson were in attendance.
Donna Murphy was drafted in as The Witch for the rehearsal.

The late moviemaker fell to his death from the Vincent Thomas Bridge in Los Angeles on 19 August (12) and was remembered by family and friends at a private funeral service last week (24Aug12).
Scott's body has since been cremated, and his remains will be kept by his widow Donna Wilson.
The information was included on the 68 year old's death certificate after it was released on Monday (27Aug12).
His official cause of death was not listed as an investigation into the tragedy is ongoing, reports the Associated Press.